Using text messages as part of a medical education program may seem daunting because the medium is still in its infancy in the medical education space.  The most common question I usually get asked is how to get a text messaging campaign (aka mobile marketing campaign) off the ground as part of a medical education program.  The good news is that once we understand a few fundamental concepts on how to use text-messages, you’ll find that using mobile media isn’t that different from some of the formats we already (ie, email).

60 Second Marketer does a good job of summarizing 3 key points when implementing a text messaging (aka mobile marketing) campaign.  The video above elaborates on these points.

1. Double Opt-in:  Your audience can do this through a website and when they text in a keyword to a shortcode.  This results in a higher response rate and fewer complaints.
2. Frequency:  Let your audience know exactly how many times they will be getting messages from you and give them a chance to opt out.
3. Be Relevant:  Make your messages timely, personalized, useful and relevant to your audience.  Its better to send a message to provide information on something happening now, rather than something happening a month from now.

Announcing 2digitiPLUS

Through our new 2digitiPLUS service, we now give you the option to generate revenue on certain text messages that are sent to audiences participating in your programs and activities. 2digitiPLUS allows you to interact with your audiences by sending them regular SMS text alerts — news updates, clinical reminders, or any other information that they might find useful — at a premium rate.

With the 2digiti platform, you can now:

• Launch a premium text message-based campaign in minutes!
• Keep 100% of the revenue you generate (after carrier fees). 2digiti is the only provider to offer this in the medical education space!
• Choose multiple premium price points per text message ($.99, $1.99, 5.99 etc.)

Below are just a couple of ways that you can generate revenue through our service:

Content

By sending a text message to your audience and offering them the option to opt-in, they can have access to ongoing premium content/activities (i.e., Meet the Faculty, One on One sessions with thought leaders and key content).

Information

Audience members can send text messages to find out more information about particular therapies, treatment strategies, guidelines and/or clinical data in certain publications.  These can be sent in the form of toolkits, emails, hard copy brochures.

Value of 2digitiPLUS

This type of premium content and service can be immensely beneficial to larger medical organizations, societies and medical education companies that have established audience members who need and require regular contact and interaction.

For more information text PLUS to 48138 or use our online contact form.

In the first part of this two-part blog post, I explored the differences between traditional ARS and text message-based ARS. In this post, I’ll explore the multimedia features of both types of ARS.

Both traditional ARS systems and Text Message-Based ARS systems allow you to segment respondents and present results in animated formats. However, the differences are significant and I’ve summarized them in the following table.

Table 2:  Similarities & Differences b/w Traditional ARS vs. Text Message-Based ARS

Multimedia Integration

Texting allows you to create open form responses, integrate Twitter, and integrate multimedia for ongoing, real-time, interactive feedback.

Good text-message platforms are web-based and require no software or a small software plug-in. This enables you to create cross-platform polls. In other words, the same poll can be held across email, texting, or via the Internet.

For example, in a debate-styled meeting where participants can rate each presenters’ arguments, information can be presented in a visual that depicts a tipping scale to indicate whose arguments hold the most weight with the audience.

Open-Ended Responses

Texting also allows you to provide open-ended and continuous response. That’s only available with certain traditional ARS vendors.

For example, learners can text in a question during a Q&A session, questions can be filtered by the moderator, then posted to a slide or incorporated into a scrolling ticker onscreen. The digitized Q&A and the responses can be repurposed in the followup materials and the data can be used to develop future programs.

Data Collection

The biggest benefit in using text messaging ARS may be in the level and amount of data you collect.

Text message-based ARS can be used before an event to ask presenters questions so they can finalize topic contents. In addition, if the speaker line up or curriculum changes, you can communicate with attendees to let them know about changes as they happen.

After an event, text messages can be used to measure change in knowledge, behavior or attitudes. You can identify areas where further education is required. Messages, polls and reactions can be archived on a website or on Twitter.

Knowledge, Skills, and Competency-Based Measurement Extends Beyond the Meeting

Custom analytics to measure learning are rarely, if ever available, with traditional ARS. With text messaging-based ARS, you can extend your event as long as you would like, or as long as makes sense to your audience.

For example, if you were to offer “anytime” learning activities (tests, reinforcement tools, peer-to-peer interaction and knowledge sharing etc.) after a live meeting,you can connect those activities to the data you collected before and during the meeting. Suddenly, the outcomes potential of the meeting’s content is transformed from knowledge-based measurement into performance and even patient, impacts.

Text Messaging-Based ARS Offers Benefits Over Traditional Systems

Compared to traditional ARSs, it’s clear that text message-based ARSs offer additional features, value, and convenience that traditional systems just can’t offer. In addition, they are cost-effective.

Table 3:  Cost Differences b/w Traditional ARS vs. Text Message-Based ARS

“Is text-messaging a good audience response tool?” That’s a question that I am frequently asked both in client meetings and online.   The simple answer is “yes.” But the answer is more complicated and deserves a couple of blog posts. I created the following table to summarize the technologies:

Table 1:  Traditional ARS vs. Text Message-Based ARS

What’s the difference between traditional ARS and text message-based ARS?

Traditional ARS systems are hardware-based. You need to buy the system and the investment can be significant (Here’s a 30-keypad system for $795 and another 32-keypad system for $1280 with extra clickers offered for $35.74).

Even keypad rentals can be expensive. I’ve seen meeting sites renting keypads for $25 per pad per day. Multiply that by 1,000 attendees and things get expensive real fast.

In addition, you need to set up the hardware and software at each event which typically takes a few hours (and usually isn’t free…). Plus, there are regular maintenance and support costs.

Text messaging-based ARS use mobile phones. Each participant needs to have his or her own cellphone. They need good cellphone reception.

Audience members that have never used text messages will face a slight learning curve. And some audience members might see texting as an invasion of their privacy.

One limitation to texting that rarely gets discussed – there could be a slight delay in response if you’re sending 30,000 to 40,000 messages at once.

With proper planning and implementation, most of these limitations can be avoided, but I’ll save that for a future blog post.

If you use your mobile phone to text on a regular basis like I do, chances are that you’re pretty comfortable with the “ins and outs” of texting. But when it comes to using texting in higher education (ie, medical education), especially to a healthcare audience, there are a few key things to keep in mind.

5.  Do Not Reinvent the Pedagogical Wheel

As text messaging is so new to our space, we have yet to develop  “best-in-class” pedagogical principles for  mobile learning (we’re probably a few years away from this).   But the good news is that we can use many of the principles we’ve developed from online and computer based learning.

Medscape provides a well-organized description of these principles for review.

4.  Text Messaging in Medical Education is not a “Be All, End All”

Texting in a medical education program should always be utilized as an enabling tool, and not as a replacement for any particular format or methodology that you’ve typically used in a program (ie, mails/faxes for recruitment or a CD-ROM or monograph for content). Just as you wouldn’t provide one print or electronic  format  to an audience, it would be presumptuous to think that mobile messaging would be the answer to all of our prayers.

3.  But…Text Messaging in Medical Education IS Multifocal

Text messages for learning can be utilized in a number of ways (the big 3 buckets being Recruitment, Education, and Assessment). But how exactly do we do any of these?  Most immediately think of recruitment solutions, but texting can go beyond awareness building.  Some “out-of-the-box” examples of using text-messaging as an educational/informational tool include:

—  Course Updates: General information about a course, its requirements, timelines, resources, etc.

—  Competition: Asking your learners to submit a case study concept for an upcoming meeting.The learner with the winning case study is recognized during the meeting and the presentation of their case.

—  Weekly “Hot” Topics: Topics designed to stimulate discussion, debate and interaction, and  centered around the program learning objectives (these can even be posted to twitter, for ‘archiving’ purposes).

—  “Conference” Messages: Messages are sent out to the entire learner audience. When a learner responds, the message is sent to the entire group, promoting discussion and learning. Think “microblogging” with a purpose.

2.  Yes, there is a ‘Textiquette’, aka Text Messaging Etiquette

Understanding proper ‘textiquette’, goes a long, long way to ensuring participation, learning and interactivity. For example, providing clear information through collateral materials on why, how and when they should participate is useful.  Or having internal operational guidelines for when you’re going to send messages, (ie Monday through Friday 9 am to 5 pm), how many questions in a survey, how often to send them etc, are  useful as well.

Note:  You should make sure that your text messaging partner provides these as a resource and is able to walk you through the planning and implementation of the first couple of programs .

1.  Text Messaging Should Be Integrated with Other Platforms

We’re in an age where we see new formats, methodologies, and apps (the iTunes app store averages 4,111 new apps per month) providing us with innovative and convenient ways to do things we thought couldn’t get any easier.  Integrating these into our lives adds more value to what we do or accomplish every day.

The same approach applies with text messaging. Integrating other platforms and systems provides a more robust engagement and interactive learning experience.  Forward-leaning text message partners (like us!) should  provide:

— Integration with twitter, allowing you to present twitter polls or twitter feedback slides (you can post feedback to both twitter AND a live PowerPoint presentation instantly in real-time;

—  Text-to-screen features, where you can conduct a live, ARS-styled survey/poll in multiple locations  and have the results show up in your PowerPoint presentation as bar or pie charts;

— A real time “live-audience meter” integrated into PowerPoint, which visually tracks the ‘mood’ of the audience, by having them text a number between 1 and 5 (pro – con) when participating in debate-themed programs.

And if you’re looking for more detailed insight into how you or your organization can use text messaging, reach out to us!

The funny thing is, as Americans, we’re lagging a bit behind the rest of the world in this aspect.  Let’s compare against other countries.

-  78% of Japanese use them in the bathroom
-  68% of Taiwanese use their phones while in the bathroom
-  66% of the Chinese population (66% of mobile users in china…think about that!) use them in the bathroom
-  48% of Australians said they use their phones in the bathroom
-  29% of UK mobile phone users use them in the bathroom

The Nokia commercial above does a nice of job of reinforcing how pervasive the mobile phone is (the first thing we see in the morning and the last thing we see at night).

So how does this all relate to medical education?  Well, it just shows to what extent our addiction for information is.  We want it, irrespective of wherever we are or whatever we’re doing.   And information, especially where healthcare providers are a key audience, is required quickly and easily.

Still questioning the potential impact of ONE channel like the mobile phone to educate, engage and measure in our space?

Let’s look at some other facts:

-  94% of all text messages are read; and 75% of these are read instantly
-  95% of their subscriber phones are text-enabled
-  About 24% of those mobile users with texting capabilities opt-in to receive promotional text messages
-  Promotional campaigns have shown a 90% higher than average click thru rate from a SMS message

There ‘s even data from other industries (ie, alcohol, automotive, consumer electronics, entertainment, financial services, retail, telecommunications, and travel) that points out how effective mobile messaging is to raising awareness of brands, messages, loyalty etc.

“With an average increase of 23.9 percentage points, mobile ad awareness saw the greatest increase — this shows that these campaigns generally cut through and grab users’ attention. Average increases in brand favorability and purchase intent of 5.4 and 4.7 percentage points, respectively, reflect the ability of mobile advertising to change consumers’ attitudes towards a brand and to drive intent to purchase.”

Source: Dynamic Logic’s AdIndex for Mobile; Early Averages as of July 2008, N=21 campaigns, n=25,050 respondents

In the last sentence, you can easily change “intent to purchase” to “intent to change practice.”  While we shy away from promotional terms/measures in medical education, the implications are obvious.  We can translate any of these measures to the education side (ie, knowledge, attitudes, competencies and performance).

As mobile messaging becomes more common place in our industry, one can’t deny the huge potential such a channel will have on how medical education is provided and measured.  Those medical education providers who move first to integrate the medium will have the most to gain, and now may be the best time to test the water before everyone else starts to jump on the bandwagon.

Note: Because of a lack of data or metrics (actually none at all) on mobile messaging in medical education, data from the mobile marketing and advertising industry was used instead.

For more information on  2digiti, contact us at vg@2digiti.com

A large part of running a campaign is using common sense and focusing on what you already know (ie, audience, content,  objectives, and  outcomes).

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Engage Your Audience, It’s a Two-Way Street

-  A mobile educational campaign should be about engaging and interacting with your audience, not just pushing information, content and surveys at them. Add value to what you send out.  Don’t provide too much information or content in the message…that’s what a website is for.   Mobile messaging is unique in that it’s such an exclusive channel to your audience.  It has to be done right from the first message on.

Provide Value

-  Be creative in this.  Give them something that they need for a particular time or situation.  For example, say you’re engaging your audience at a conference, send them alerts and reminders of key presentations, abstracts, plenary sessions with time, location and speaker information.

Be Open, Reliable and Timely

-  Because it’s such an exclusive channel, gain their trust.  Ask for their permission to participate.  In healthcare, the information and the timeliness of the information is critical to your audience.

Utilize Other Media

-  Mobile messaging should not be seen as an add-on for your programs but rather as an integrated component.  The learning objectives you have for your other media formats should be the same for the mobile component as well.

-  Utilize mobile messaging to enhance  audience awareness, generation and participation in activities such as live meetings, satellite broadcasts etc., by providing opt-in information in  flyers, BRCs, email invites, posters, handouts, slides, pre- and post-tests etc.

Have a Plan

-  Mobile messaging in education can be an integral part of learning.   So make sure that you have a detailed plan of what when and how many times to send them (pre-tests, post-tests, evaluation, alerts, auto-responders etc) information related to your program.

Push, Not Pull

-  Mobile educational campaigns work best when your audience has an opportunity to be involved.   Use your faculty or thought leaders to engage your audience, ask trivia questions, be funny (seriously), poll them and ask for feedback.

Be Clear and Concise

-  In a medium where you are limited to 160 characters per message, it’s unbelievably important that you be as clear as possible about what you want to convey.  Let your audience know what the value is in participating, what your expectations are and what they need to do.

Outcomes

-  Outcomes are key!  It’s necessary to assess how effective your education was.  So make sure that you have access to detailed analytics that can provide you with such information.

Mobile messaging can be a powerful medium in the education space, but ‘with great power, comes great responsibility.’  And as long as you keep in mind the above tips, you should see fairly significant results.

For more information on how 2digiti, contact us at vg@2digiti.com

Now imagine messaging in the medical education/CME space where you TRULY have an exclusive two-way channel, to engage, educate and assess the impact of your activities. A channel that can be used to coordinate care of patients and their providers, receive alerts about the latest treatment guidelines, enhance medication adherence and to access text, audio and video content on any given therapeutic topic.

But how to move from the “could” to the “should?” What can be practically applied today that will deliver real results in terms of engaging, educating and assessing from a medical education perspective?

Engaging

For starters, “engaging” is the most basic of uses of texting/SMS.  You can instantly send out messages to reach hundreds and thousands of healthcare providers to reinforce, enhance and retain knowledge.

Or you can also replace traditional ARS-based technology by using SMS-based
polling at any live or satellite event. For example, you can instantly compare polls from a series of live dinner meetings occurring simultaneously in various locations, allowing faculty and participants to see how they compare with their peers.

Educating

Here’s where the fun starts.  You can use messages to promote various types of learning, ranging from group-focused discussion, to multi-disciplinary collaboration (especially through integration with platforms such as twitter).

You can also provide branched learning opportunities to individualize the learning (kind of like those old ‘Choose your own adventure books’), allowing the learner to follow a particular management or treatment approach to its conclusion. The simplicity of the tool doesn’t mean you should restrict yourself from advanced instructional design.

And for those educational nerds among us, you can collect continuous assessment data through instantaneous SMS feedback, and revise and update your content and curriculum to address the real-time educational needs of your audience.

Assessing

What about outcomes, aka data, data, data!?!  Because of the 2-way communication, it’s possible to collect data to measure the impact of medical education activities by assessing real time formative and summative outcomes.   You can conduct pre- and post-activity outcomes, by polling participants of medical education/CME activities and assessing their change knowledge, competency and performance.

With a well-developed text-based platform provider, you should expect to access a back-end analytic dashboard to break-up the data in a number of ways, allowing you to assess changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes and even performance. Be wary of those who don’t understand the intricacies of our industry.

A dashboard like this should also allow collation of outcomes from multiple activities to really assess participants’ changes in knowledge, competencies and performance. (cough, cough, Moore, cough cough)

2digiti

As great as the above uses for text-based messaging in Medical Education are, there are NUMEROUS other ways to provide value to your healthcare audience.  Contact me. I’d be happy to show you in more detail how you can adapt and customize the platform I’ve created to address your specific needs.

vg@2digiti.com